This invention relates generally to the manufacture of routed wire assemblies and more particularly to a wire routing device and method for manufacturing electrical routed wire assemblies.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,684,765 granted to Lawrence R. Beck, Andrew J. Kocjan, Richard A. Natoli and Louis J. Liguore Aug. 4, 1987 discloses an electrical bus assembly of the routed wire type.
The patented electrical bus assembly (10) comprises a precision molded thermoplastic bus insulation plate (12) that has a base (14) with islands forming terminal stations (16) and guide stations (18) that are separated from each other to provide a network of wire receiving channels (20) that communicate with wire passages (26) that pass through the terminal and guide stations. Electrically conductive wires (42, 44, 46 and 48), preferably copper, are laid into the wire receiving channels (20) and wire passages (26) in preselected patterns. Terminal cavities (28) extend through the base (14) and intersect the wire passages (26) in the terminal stations (16). The electrical bus assembly (10) is put into an electrical connector assembly (80) and electrical blade terminals (86) are plugged into the electrical connector assembly with the electrically conductive wires (42, 44, 46 and 48) serving to splice a number of electrical blade terminals (86) together.
The method of routing the electrically conductive wires (42, 44, 46 and 48) into the wire receiving channels (20) and wire passages (26) of the plate (12) involves planting the end of a solid core copper wire into a hole (50) in the plate (12), and then moving the plate (12) under a rotary processor head (60) that contains a servo feed to plant the end of a solid core copper wire into a hole in the plate (12), a planting finger (68) to press the wire into the wire receiving channels (20) and wire passages (26) of the plate (12), and a cutter blade (72) to cut the wire at the terminal end.
The patented routed wire bus assembly and its method of manufacture have been successfully used by the Packard Electric Division of General Motors Corporation, the assignee of this invention for a number of years. However, there are certain areas that can be improved.
The rotary processor head (60) rotates every time that copper wire turns a corner. More specifically, when it is necessary for the copper wire to turn a corner, the table moves the plate (12) until it gets to the point of the desired corner and then it stops. The rotary processor head (60) then rotates 45 degrees. The table makes a short 45 degree move in the same direction that the rotary processor head (60) is now pointing. Then the table stops again. The rotary processor head (60) then rotates another 45 degree to complete the desired 90 degree turn. The table then moves the plate (12) onto the next corner or to the terminal end where the copper wire is cut. This cornering method requires a considerable amount of cycle time.
Moreover, in practice, the copper wire is pulled out of the rotary processor head (60) after the end is planted in the hole (50) and the plate (12) moves under the rotary processor head (60) for the planting finger (68) to press the wire into the channels (20) and passages (26) of the plate (12). This feature tends to stretch the copper wire and build up residual stress that resist firm planting of the wire as it turns corners.